A/71/205 operations for their alleged association with parties to conflict. Detention has also been employed as a tactic to recruit and use children as spies and for intelligence gathering purposes, which puts them at serious risk. The detention of children should always be a last resort, for the shortest time possible and guide d by the best interests of the child. If they are accused of a crime during their association with armed groups, children should be processed by the juvenile justice system rather than military courts, which frequently fail to apply the relevant juvenile j ustice standards and due process. Of greatest concern are reports that children allegedly associated with non-State armed groups have been sentenced to death, notwithstanding the stipulation under the Convention on the Rights of the Child that capital punishment or life imprisonment without the possibility of release may not be imposed on juvenile offenders. 22. All too often counter-terrorism strategies are implemented without regard for the long-term effects the policies may have. Prolonged detention is not only detrimental to the development of the child, who misses out on crucial years of education, but also for society as a whole. The effective reintegration of children who are allegedly associated with non-State armed groups must be the primary response since it is essential for their well-being and to ensure long-term peace and security. These children should be primarily treated as victims, as the majority have suffered ill treatment and violations. The Special Representative calls upon Member States to develop operating procedures to expeditiously hand over children who are captured or who surrender in the course of military operations to child protection actors to reintegrate them into their communities. Upon return, such children are often stigmatized, and sufficient resources should be allocated for their reintegration. Resources and assistance should also be given to the receiving communities to support reintegration efforts. 23. Throughout the reporting period, the Special Representative continu ed to remind Member States of their obligations under international law, in particular during addresses to the General Assembly and the Security Council. In October 2015, she participated in the sixth high-level retreat on the promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa, convened by the African Union, on the theme “Terrorism, mediation and non-State armed groups”. On the margins of the International Forum on Peace and Security in Africa, held in Dakar in November 2015, the Special Representative met with the newly appointed National Security Adviser of Nigeria, who expressed interest in working to improve the protection of children separated from Boko Haram. During the same event, she met with the Force Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force and advocated for enhanced protection of children in Task Force operations against Boko Haram. 24. During the reporting period, the Office of the Special Representative also joined the Working Group on Promoting and Protecting Human Rights and the Rule of Law while Countering Terrorism of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, with the aim of further mainstreaming the protection of children. The Special Representative will continue contributing to the dialogue and work of the General Assembly, Security Council and Human Rights Council and of the Secretary General regarding violent extremism in the coming year to ensure that the protection of children is a priority in national, regional and international responses. In that regard, the Special Representative urges the Assembly to prioritize the protection of children and to take into account the above -mentioned elements in the upcoming review of the United Nations Global Counter -Terrorism Strategy. 16-12896 7/18